The police in Bayelsa State said on Wednesday that they had invited the two Nigerians freed by kidnappers on Monday for interrogation.
The spokesman of the Bayelsa State Police Command, Alex Akhigbe, explained that the two men were helping the police with possible clues to reach the three Dutch nationals still being held by the kidnappers.
Akhigbe dismissed claims that the freed victims were arrested, saying that they would not be held longer than necessary.
He said: “The public should be patient with us as we work to free the remaining three victims.
“We did not arrest them.
“It is natural that they will have vital information that we can work with to free the others.
“The whereabouts and fate of the Dutch hostages remain unclear as the kidnappers have allegedly demanded for N20 million ransom to free them.”
Akhigbe added that the police would not get involved in negotiations for ransom.
The Nigerian hostages, Femi Soewu and Sunny Ofehe, regained their freedom on Monday from their abductors.
The two Nigerians and three Dutch nationals were abducted on Sunday by unknown gunmen at Letugbene community in Ekeremor Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
Meanwhile, the The Bayelsa State Government has condemned the kidnapping of the three Dutch nationals on May 4.
This was contained in a statement signed by the Special Adviser Governor Seriake Dickson on Security Matters, retired Colonel Bernard Kenebai, in Yenagoa on Wednesday.
The statement, however, assured the people of the state that the government, in partnership with security agencies, would step up efforts to secure the release of the victims.
They are Erhard Leffers, Marianne Vos and Jan Andre Groenendijk.
The statement described the incident and the resurgence of kidnapping in the state as unfortunate.
The statement blamed the kidnapping on failure of organisers of the community tour to inform security agencies of the event.
It noted that the decision of organisers of the tour, Dodo River Development Association, and the Dutch nationals not to inform the security agencies was “wrong and irresponsible”.
It added: “We consider the ill-fated trip as unfortunate due to the fact that the state has not experienced kidnapping for a while.
“The expatriates embarked on the journey without proper security arrangement. We feel strongly against it due to the fact that Bayelsa is a safe place.
“We have said if anyone or visitors are going to an isolated area, they should inform the security agents to get cover.
“It is not fair that they embarked on a dangerous adventure.”
The Commissioner of Police in Bayelsa State, Hilary Okpara, expressed disappointment that the organisers failed to inform police of the planned visit of the foreigners.
Okpara said: “They came without alerting the security agencies.
“We would have provided adequate security.
“We warned individuals and organisations against such trips without informing the police and other security agencies.”
The commissioner said four persons had been invited for interrogation over the incident.
They included the organiser, Barry Legrise, the founder of Dodo Rovers Regional Development Association.
Others are Femi Soewu, Sunny Ofehe and Chief Barson Dodoru, an indigene of Letugbene community, also kidnapped but later released.
He said Soewu and Ofehe had been released alongside Legrise, while Dodoru was still being held.
The kidnapping occurred on the waterways of Letugbene community in Ekeremor Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
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